Unmasking rape culture through the arts
In 2016, after an American college student named Brock Turner was found guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, his father argued that his son’s six-month prison sentence was too harsh.
“That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20plus years of life,” wrote his father, Dan A. Turner, in a statement.
Turner’s words made international headlines and unleashed a fury of criticism across the globe — including here in Hamilton.
“That statement is rape culture right there,” said Lenore Lukasik-Foss, director of the Sexual As- sault Centre Hamilton & Area (SACHA).
Turner’s statement inspired a free, two-day conference called “Art (4) Change: Unmasking Rape Culture,” presented by SACHA, the Centre (3) for Print and Media Arts, and McMaster University, to be held Nov. 23 and 24.
The conference is being presented in tandem with a contemporary art exhibit at Centre (3) called “20 Minutes of Action” — a reference to Dan Turner’s statement.
The conference and exhibition examine the intersection of rape culture, contemporary art, and gender through the lens of the arts. It will feature dance and spo-
ken word performances, presentations from artists, and discussions with scholars.
Lukasik-Foss says this conference is unique because it will take the discussion about rape culture to “the next level of analysis.” She says that our community has more of a universal understanding about the existence of sexual assault and rape culture than it did in the past — which allows a deeper, more fulsome discussion.
“We found that in the past, we were often having to convince people that there’s a problem. A few years ago, I couldn’t say ‘rape culture’ in the media and not get jumped on,” she said. “I think this conference is about kicking it up to the next level of dialogue … we can really start to explore the roots of sexual violence, and the way that our culture allows it to flourish.
“It’s really not the basics. It’s kind of a 2.0 conference,” she said.
Along with the conference, Centre (3) is exhibiting a range of pieces that capture various artists’ interpretations of rape culture in the “20 minutes of action” exhibit. Both the conference and exhibit were funded by the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts, using a parcel of fund- ing specifically reserved for exploring sexual harassment and violence through the arts.
The exhibit, curated by Sally Frater, features several different artists’ interpretations of sexual violence, harassment, colonialism, and identity.
“The goal of the exhibition is to name rape culture. It would be impossible to have a definitive conclusion, so the artworks in this exhibition are essentially naming what we are so afraid to say,” said Kiera Boult, program co-ordinator at Centre (3).
In “The Shape of a Sentence,” artist Lesley Loski Chan uses 20 shards of used soap enclosed by two trifold mirrors. The soap fragments — many of which look like tiny shells or stones — represent the desire for victims to be clean, both physically and metaphorically, after a sexual assault. The mirrors reflect the soap in perpetuity, creating unending reflections of the soap and the emotional implications they represent.
Another piece, “The Harvest” by Hamilton fibre artist Hitoko Okada, is exhibited in the window of Centre (3). It features a white gown made of paper on a dress form, somewhat resembling a wedding dress. The gown itself is covered by small, handmade seeds.
Okada says she hoped to call attention to the prevalence of violence against Indigenous women, women of colour, LGBTQ women, and women who are newcomers or refugees.
“The seeds of social oppression are cultivated, normalized, and propagated over generations,” Okada wrote.
In “The Harvest,” she explains that “the seeds represent the potential and hope for deep systemic change and collective healing. What we sow will become the future harvest.”
The arts offer a powerful entry point to discuss sexual assault and rape culture, Boult said.
“What artists are tasked with is to take society and transform it and subvert it,” she said. “With every piece that’s made, it offers a new solution. Artists are problem-solvers.”